Monthly Archives: February 2016

Having had a great week riding in the hills and visiting some of the most beautiful places in Chiapas it was time to move on and get my head down to Oaxaca. hearing it was a beautiful town I was looking forward to seeing it but also moving on through this huge country.

Saturday 23rd January

Although the bed in the hostel was really comfy and it was cool enough to be cosy under my blanket I wanted to get going. I had been told that Tuxla was beautiful which it was but after coming from San Cristobal de las Casas it would have needed to be pretty impressive to want to stay longer. I headed upstairs for breakfast to find it was just bread and coffee and nothing else. They did’t even give plates which was strange but luckily I had got some food that I had brought yesterday and would make up for what the lack of food. While I sat I got chatting to two couples which ended up delaying my departure and knew I had a climb to get out of the town.

It took ages to get out of the city but once I did I then had a 15 mile climb up to 1,078 metres.

looking back as I slowly climbed above the town

From there I had a nice but short descent with the road undulating in between. As I rode the wind was battering me but for some reason didn’t seem to affect me much. I stopped under a bridge on the side of the highway to have lunch out of the wind.

This seemed a good spot out of the wind

It was a nice spot other then the cars and trucks whizzing past but knew I wouldn’t be there long. I set off once more and on one of the descents I saw three cyclists coming the other way. They were from France heading to the south and one of the girls had joined the couple for a few weeks cycling. It was nice to chat but like always we were heading in different directions and wanted to get to our destinations.

As I dropped I could see the road disappear off into the distance

The wind seemed to be getting stronger but all the while felt like it was just about on my side and slightly pushing me forward. I could still feel some pain in my knee so I was pleased I wasn’t fighting a headwind.

As the day went on I was starting to run out of time, so I checked the map to see what was coming up. With a in a few miles and with no sign of another town for another 30 miles I turned off and looked for a hotel.

Arriving in town just before sunset

I found a cheap one but it was by no means nice. The only thing that was good was that the sheets were clean and thats about it. I asked if I could cook in there kitchen but due to the state of that I used all my own pots and pans so I didn’t catch anything. I couldn’t believe how they lived and how many animals there were in the kitchen.

With the amount of animals in the cages and wondering around I couldn’t see how they could cook in the kitchen without getting sick

Just behind the cooking area there were 3 dogs, 5 cats, 7 doves, two turtles, 1 squirrel, around ten other birds I didn’t know the name of, along with other animals I couldn’t tell what they were. The kitchen stank of pee and ended up cooking with a tiny dog trying to bite my ankles. By the time I was done I was shattered and I still had a long day tomorrow. With a warm showers host expecting me I just hoped I made it in time and knew it would have to be an earlier start then today.

Sunday 24th January

Although the hotel wasn’t nice I did sleep well but ended up waking later then I had hoped. I packed away my things, thanked the owner and got on the road. Needing to grab something for breakfast I stopped at a cafe to have something.

The owner was really nice and was really interested in what I was doing. He offered me another coffee but when I went to pay he charged me for it. I wasn’t to worried but as I went to pay he spotted an English 2 pence coin in my wallet. He asked to have a look and if he could have it. I agreed to trade it in for a coffee which he was very pleased with until he showed it to his wife. The look on her face was just brilliant and knew it was time to make my exit. With the guy not really knowing whether he’d got a good deal and his wife knowing he hadn’t I waved goodbye and headed out to the highway.

The road gently undulated and rose a bit more and I thought I had a pass to climb but once the road reached 900 metres it then dropped towards the Pacific Ocean. The down hill that followed was amazing but I was being blown all over the place by the wind as it swirled around the mountains.

Once I reached the highway the wind became more of a headwind making it much harder to cycle in. With 15 miles to go after making great progress I stopped for lunch to have a pulled pork Tortilla and salad which was just what I needed.

I was soon back on the road but by this time my legs had cooled down and with the wind I was finding it really tough going.

I finally reached the town after a battle and found a shop in the square to ask where I could find Rodrigo. At first I got a blank look then a guy said he would take me to his house and so we set off to find him. After a few minutes we arrived at his house to meet Rodrigo and Cameron who was another cyclist from the states who was also riding south from Alaska.

While I sorted out my things they went off to water some plants then once back we were taken into town to have some food with his family. Rodrigo had such a lovely family and we were both made to feel so at home.

Rodrigo and his family and Cameron

Not being a cyclist Rodrigo had joined warm showers to practise his English and to learn more about the world. We spent the evening chatting and headed back to have some watermelon in his home. It had been a long day that had ended with an amazing family and a great fellow cyclist and I could have stayed longer. With the plan to get up early tomorrow and help him pick mangos it was time for bed to get some sleep for yet another long day on the bike.

Monday 25th January

After being terrorised by mosquitos I finally dropped into a deep sleep and some very random dreams only to hear a voice which got louder. I woke suddenly to remember Cameron and I were helping Rodrigo pick mangos. I was like a zombie as I got up and pretty much fell over everything while I was getting dressed. We were both up and out thE door in 5 minutes and knew it would take me a lot less then that to fall back into another deep sleep. Rodrigo drive us to his school where we jumped on the tractor and trailer.

Rodrigo ready to go and Cameron picking the best Mangos

It was so cold which surprised me as we were only 200 metres but it was such a lovely time of day. As the sun slowly rose with a full moon still in the sky and the oranges and reds of earth starting to glow ever brighter it made for a beautiful morning. We reached the field with the mango trees and started to find the first laden tree. It felt strange picking mangos as Sharon and I had picked them 16 years ago when we worked on a farm in Australia. Only needing one basket for Rodrigo to take to a show we were soon done and headed back to the house. Once back we went indoors to find Rodrigo’s wife had cooked us breakfast. It was so lovely to be sat round the table chatting but knew it would be soon time to go. With our bikes loaded and ready to head off in different directions we thanked Rodrigo and his wife and set off waving good by into the already very hot baking sun.

Cameron ready to go

Today I was heading to Juchitan de Zaragoza. As I had planned to stay with a warm showers host but having had no reply Cameron had recommended the fire station which was on the edge of town. I set into a wind that was now blowing in a different direction, one that would help me at first then would become a tough headwind later on. It was so hot on the road but being flat I knew I should make good progress but after an early start and being woken from a deep sleep I was struggling. Spotting a cyclist coming the other way I stopped to find it was a Swiss guy. He was nice to chat to but with the wind getting stronger all the time we both wanted to keep going. After another hour I once again spotted 3 more cyclist, 2 from America who were riding from Chicago and were about to finish and a French guy who started around the same place and wasn’t sure where he was going to end up. We chatted for about half an hour before saying goodbye and heading on. The further I went west the stronger the wind got and became more of a headwind. With nowhere to hide I pushed on knowing it was only going to get harder.

The long straight windy road

Spotting a huge wind farm ahead it took my mind off the wind or at least made it more interesting. There were probably 1000 of them if not more and covered the horizon in mass in every direction. Once at the end of the westerly road I then turned south and into the wind. I had 14 miles to cover but this was going to take at least 2 hours.

From the pictures it looks a nice but it was so hot and very windy

Feeling like I had been boiled alive I needed to stop and cool. I grabbed a cold Coke from the fridge then spotted a cup of chopped jelly in yogurt. It was so nice I had two but once I had eaten them I felt exhausted. Even though I was in the shade and cooling down it sucked the energy out of me. I sat and closed my eyes feeling myself drop into a deep sleep. Knowing I couldn’t I would wake suddenly to check my bike. I needed to keep going and with the sun still strong I knew it was going to be tough.

The last push into town went a little better with the wind easing making my life a little more bearable. I reached the outskirts of town when I spotted the fire station. I stopped to ask if I could camp which I was told would be fine but first they needing to check with the chief. I was so tired from a bad night and an early morning all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball. I sat down and waited while I chatted to the guys until I was allowed to stay and was shown to where I could camp. Being a little early I asked where I could eat and set off to find a place. I found a small stall where a lovely lady called Sandra who made me two large toasted meat tortillas with salad.

This was a great place to eat and tasted amazing

It tasted amazing and was just what I needed. With the light now fading I headed back to the station and pitched my tent. Still having about 4 days ride to Oaxaca and a big climb I needed to get a good nights sleep which I knew I should do in my tent.

As I wrote my diary I got a message from Nader to ask if I had got his Facebook messages. I said no so went to see why. As I went through my settings I found a filtered message section with around 50 messages from around the time Sharon had been killed up to and after her funeral. It was a real shock and really hit a nerve, I couldn’t believe it. I was so tired and with rubbish internet I just couldn’t concentrate and knew I had to deal with it but did’t have the head space or the energy just now.

Tuesday 26th January

Thinking that sleeping in my tent behind the fire station, out of sight and being fairly dark was a good place to sleep but I was so wrong. I settled in and wrote my days diary and feeling shattered I started to fall in to a deep sleep only to be woken by the odd ant biting me. I killed the first then the second and started to fall asleep then it was the third, forth, then fifth. I turned the light on and thought I had got them all and started to fall to sleep only to hear a munching sound and the suddenly I was being bitten everywhere. I leapt out of bed turned my light on and saw I had been invaded by thousands of tiny biting ants. I took everything out cleared the tent whilst being bitten and moved it trying to make sure there were non left. With my tent in a new position I started to load my tent to see a small hole where they had eaten their way through. I was gutted but after a few long days and little sleep I was so tired I had to sleep.

With everything back in the tent I soon feel asleep, only woken a few times by the odd one that made it in and woke before sunrise with the firemen doing something noisy to their fire engines. I couldn’t complain as it was there station but I was totally exhausted. I got up around 8.30am with the sun already starting to bake everything insight and put the kettle on. They loved my stove but were quite nervous about me using petrol. Once I was ready I finished loading my bike and set off. It was about 15 miles to the next town and although I had a strong cross wind slowing me I knew it would be a tail wind once I turned north west towards Oaxaca.

On arriving in town I stopped at a restaurant for breakfast and as always expected a small plate of food only to find I had a large piece of steak with salad rice and veg. It was perfect and would be just what I needed for the hills to come.

With 2 litre jugs of orange squash which were amazing I set off full and rehydrated. With the wind on my back it made the going a little easier but it was so hot it was like riding in an oven. I was pouring with sweat and was heating up inside fast. The climbs weren’t big but with the light tailwind made it harder as it became almost still due to moving forward. The only rest bite I could get was to stop and turn into the light breeze to cool. I pushed on and reached another town by 3pm and not seeing any other towns on the map I stopped again for food. I picked the one that looked the best on the menu and when it arrived it was amazing. Beef,bacon,veg with salad chunks put into a cheese sauce with rice and tortilla. It was just what I needed and couldn’t believe I’d had two amazing meals in one day.

This was just what I needed

Still being early I pushed on once more in a strong tail wind towards the climb. By the time I reached the start of the first climb my legs felt tired and I was thirsty. With little water left I hoped as I climbed I would come to a village. With an hour left and two empty bottles I spotted houses on the hill in front of me. I climbed for another 10 minutes and reached a small hamlet. Seeing a shop I grabbed the first cold drink I could get my hands on and asked if there was anywhere I could camp. The owner was more then happy and showed be a flat piece of ground were I could pitch.

My camp and the amazing view from it

By this point I was shattered and could have fallen asleep there and then. I spent a short time chatting to the owner and picking up a few snacks but I needed to sleep. I was shattered from the last two disruptive nights and just hoped this one was better. The last few days had been a blur of heat and exhaustion and I needed to stop. With Oaxaca just a few days away I needed to keep focused and get there.

Wednesday 27th January

This time I woke up after a good sleep and got to see the sun rise. For some reason I still felt tired and as the sun started to bake everything I knew it was going to be a tough day. I got up and went to the bathroom then let my Thermarest down only to blow it up again while I had a cupper. Although I was well rested the thought of getting on my bike and continuing to climb in the heat was the last thing I wanted to do. Once I was packed I asked at the shop to fill my bottles with water and started the climb. My legs felt heavy and the sun felt hot. The scenery was beautiful but harsh with little in the way of green and huge tall thin cacti rising up from the scorched earth. After a short while I reached the summit and started to descend.

With a bigger climb ahead I knew I was in for a longer climb. The next one would climb from 600 metres to 1200 and although wasn’t massive I knew would be slow. As I climbed I baked, the sun was relentless and the sweat poured off me like a dodgy tap. When I had chance I would stop for a cold drink but would push on past the cacti and the dry yellow grass.

I would see a lot of these birds but were always that little bit to far away to get a good photo

I often stopped after spotting tiny bright blue birds with a burnt orange chest but as always they would fly just far enough away that I couldn’t quite get a photo. Huge trucks past me almost forcing me off the road but with no hard shoulder they had to give a little. I reached the summit after what felt an age and started to drop.

The views were incredible

It was an amazing descent with an amazing few of the valley below. As I stopped to take a picture one of the escort cars for the large oversized trucks past me. I set off and the car tried to stay in front. After a while we were a long way in front of the truck and think the driver realised he wasn’t meant to be racing me and was meant to be keeping a eye on the truck that was by now far behind. Arriving in the valley floor I stopped for a late lunch with chicken rice and tortilla. Not being quite what I’d had yesterday it was however good and hopefully set me up for the next climb. Wanting to get to within 100 km of Oaxaca I pushed on to find not only had the temperature dropped but the climbs ahead weren’t so bad. Being short and undulating I made my way up through a gorge with numerous bends climbs and descends accompanied by a nice tail wind.

Heading up through the gorge and looking back down to the road I had ridden

It was amazing how the temperature change had helped making me feel like an almost new man. The problem now was I was running out of light. With the kilometre markers slowly counting down and a large climb coming up I figured I would have to find something soon.

I passed a few places but kept going looking and hoping for something further on. As I crossed a river I saw buildings a bit further up the valley and once there I asked how far it was to the next village. With a confident 20 km and a climb I knew I had to stop. I asked if I could camp and with them being more then happy I stopped to eat before pitching my tent. It had been a tough day but knew if I was going to get to Oaxaca tomorrow it would be even tougher with a 1,600 metre pass followed by a 2,000 metre pass. I knew it would be a tough day but then I knew I didn’t have to make the town but it would just mean I could stop early. I was so desperate for a rest I at least wanted to try.

Thursday 28th January

The guys in the garage worked well into to the night changing truck tyres until there were none left to fix. I fell into a deep sleep and woke feeling much better. I woke early and wanted to get going before the sun burnt away the thick cloud and then me. Not bothering to have breakfast meant I was packed and on the road just after 7am.

I knew I would need to eat something but I at least wanted to get over the first pass. With it only being 1200 metres high and needing to climb about 400 metres I was up and over within a few hours and descending to the start of the next.

It was sad seeing this as out of sight of the photo was a horse that had been hit by a truck and in an environment that was already tough.

I had a bit of an undulating ride before hand and needed to eat something before I did. Spotting a small shop with only snacks for sale I brought what would give me energy, quickly ate it and set off once again. This was the last big climb before the town and would climb to 2000 metres over about 14 miles. If I averaged my speed at around 4mph I could get over in under 4 hours and have a nice but long run into town.

After climbing for around an hour I could now feel the sun starting to beat down on me with the thick clouds being reduced to just wisps. As the sweat began to pour off me the views looking back down to the valley below became more impressive. The cars were kind and the trucks mainly ok but with no hard shoulder and numerous double trailered cement trucks trying to claw their way up the long pass I knew I had to give. They were good and waved their thanks with me often popping over to the opposite side to give them space.

This was the first time I had seen a motorbike with a bob trailer

As I got within 3 miles of the top I was called over by three dumper truck drivers who wanted to chat. They were really great to chat to and fun with it. I asked if I could take a photo of their truck at which point they decided the picture would look much better if they turned the trucks around and lined them up. I stood in amazement as one directed the two trucks into the perfect place then to stand with them for the photo shot. It was just brilliant how they just all turned into big kids with big toys.

I set off waving goodbye and soon reached the summit and onto the descent towards the town.This was amazing as I was now averaging between 15-20 mph helped along by a tail wind and knew I would soon make the town.

Arriving in the Matatlan where Mazcal is made and the many fields with Agave

As I dropped I passed place after place that sold Mazcal which is made from the plant Agavé which looks similar to a catus plant and is in the same family as the Aloe Vera plant.

These two just walked around in a circle constantly

I stopped to take a picture of a guy making a horse go around in circles that was pulling a large stone to squash and extracted the juice to make the drink. As I stood to take the picture I started to feel dizzy just watching and couldn’t imagine what it was like to work the horse.

From here I continued on getting ever closer to town with the valley dropping away in front of me and making great progress.

Still dropping with a great tail wind to Oaxaca

With 15 miles to go I spotted a couple cycling the other way who looked European. I stopped and went to say hello to find they were an elderly french couple called Daniel and Frédérique and had sold their home and car and were now just doing trips on their bikes.

Frédérique and Daniel enjoying their retirement

It was so lovely to chat and seeing how they travelled, with them recommending a place to eat in the next town. I set off with a rumbling belly and found the place they suggested. Not sure what I would get I was presented with two huge plates of food that were either full of chicken or full of veg, pasta, salad and rice. It was my dream to eat food like this because I knew I and my body needed it.

With my belly full I set off for another hour and a half and reached the town centre. It looked an interesting place but I needed somewhere to stay. At first the hostel I tried had no room for my bike and wanted to tie it up near a public entrance so I tried two more with third being really nice and just what I needed. By the time I was showered and settled in I joined the owner and his friends who had just been working out and had a beer with them in the kitchen.

They were so lovely and really made me feel at home. The last 8 days had been hard in the wind, the relentless heat of the sun, no sleep after being eaten by ants and mosquitos, then to find a load of messages I had failed to see over a year and a half old. I was shattered emotionally and physically and needed some time out which I hope I could get here. I had tried not to think about the messages and focus on getting here but they had made an effect on me and I needed time to deal with them.

Friday 29th January

Today was my day off but it felt far from it. The messages I had found in my filtered messages on Facebook had taken me back and I wanted to reply to all of them. I knew this would not only take time but emotional effort. I was doing well, getting through each day and the support from everyone had been amazing but today was going to be hard. I wondered down for breakfast before I set to work but I was already feeling tired after a really tough 8 days out in the heat.

The hostel felt nice and relaxed with little or no one to distract me. I got to speak to my sister along with Sharon’s sister which was amazing but with so much to do it was soon back to the screen.

With maps to check, photos to back up, check my washing, upload GPS files, then download them, fit dinner in and reply to everyone was just the start and I was shattered.

Agreeing to do a keep fit glass in the evening I knew it would give me the exercise I needed so I didn’t go to bed without leaving my room. I knew there was a beautiful city out there but today it would have to wait. By the time I had written to everyone I had got a message from a friend who had contacts in Mexico and offered to help. Before I knew it, a Facebook group was set up and I was trying to keep up with it all by using google translate. I was lost in the realm of a Spanish. Luckily Marianna told me to relax give her my itinerary and she would do the rest. The relief on such a tough day was amazing and with the group arriving to make me work out and make cycle touring feel easy we set to work lifting large lumps of wood and weights.

Feeling like I was in some sort of rocky training camp was great and they were all brilliant. Feeling tired but much better for doing it, I headed back to my room to try and get a bit more done. Still not feeling my best and my mood taking a nose dive I had to snap out of it but needed a bit of a pull and from where I didn’t know. The hostel was great to get things done but it was quiet and feeling low wasn’t the best thing in a quiet hostel I just hoped I could snap out of it.

Saturday 30th January

Waking up with a day of site seeing I went down for breakfast and made my way into town. I wondered the beautiful streets and tried different local cuisine in the process. The city was huge and after about 4 hours of looking around I headed back to the hostel.

Feeling shattered I lay in my empty room and tried to pick myself up. The day was already moving on fast and didn’t want to waste it. Getting a call from Jules while I caught up on my work was great and the plan to come to San Francisco was a real lift. I set to work looking at rough dates and tried to narrow it down. Still with a long way to go I knew it would be an estimate but it would atlas give me an idea on how I was progressing.

When I took the photo of the blue beetle I hadn’t spotted there was someone in it

Alfredo arrived to do his shift and I asked where was a good place to eat, he showed me on a map which was much further away but thought I would try and find it.

I headed out again but just felt shattered and wasn’t in the mood for a long trek. I got half way to where I was meant to be heading and almost turned around to call it a day but I had to make the effort.

I walked for another 20 minutes and arrived at the main square and cathedral that I thought I had seen.

Not realising that I had missed out a huge central part of the city I was now in a beautiful part that was even more impressive. I wandered the streets, watched a procession and witnessed the end of a wedding that was going on in the Cathedral, all of which I would have missed out on if I had turned back.

Pleased I had made the effort I found the restaurant I had been recommended and enjoyed a lovely meal. I had enjoyed Oaxaca and its historical centre but I missed the company. Being in the hostel hadn’t helped as it was so quiet but it had allowed me to get some work done. I headed back as the plan for tomorrow was to ride to the pyramid and then head to a waterfall with the group in the fitness glass but having not heard anything I had a suspicion it wasn’t going to happen.

Sunday 31st January

I got up early to have breakfast and sent messages to the guys in the group to check if they were still coming. I waited round for a while and with no reply or show I realised it wasn’t going to happen. Being ready and wanting to do something I headed into the centre only to find most of the tours had already left. Feeling annoyed I had hung around longer for an empty promise I went to find out the cost of a taxi to make me up to the ruins.

With the Monte Alban the famous pyramid and ruins in Oaxaca only a 20 minute drive away I was soon heading for the site up the hill. I started to get messages back saying sorry but just wished they had told me before so I’d had time to plan something else.

I arrived at the site to find a huge set of ancient ruins that date back to 300BC and in its prime had a population of just over 17,000 people. The site all be it partially excavated was incredible, it sat on an artificially levelled ridge, which with an elevation of about 1,940 m above sea level and rises some 400 m from the valley floor, was an easily defensible location.

With views as far as the eye could see in all directions it was a pretty impressive set of ruins. With an arrangement with the taxi driver I spent a couple hours looking around before heading back to be dropped off in town. Being dropped near the cathedral it gave me the chance to have a look around in the day light so I could get a good feel for the place.

Having a plan to leave in the morning I made it back to the hostel to check through my things and throw what I could away. It aways felt good to do this although I was always disappointed with the amount I had left.

As the day was coming to an end I got messages from the guys to say they were coming over and would I like to have a look around the city on bikes. Wanting to make the most of the evening before I left, They soon arrived and we headed out first for the hill.

With a tandem in the hostel it was a good chance to try it out and so the group of us rode around the city and climbed the hill above to a view point.

It was great fun and I was so pleased they had made the effort. Once back we headed to a restaurant to try Tlayudas and grasshopper. Although the Tlayudas tasted amazing the grasshoppers I tried but thought I would let the others finish them. Hoping for an early start we headed back where we said our goodbyes and I headed to bed ready for the next big push to Puebla and hopefully start to feel that I was making some sort of progress.

The last week in the heat and wind had been tough but to have had little sleep, being eaten my mosquitos and ants then to get the shock of finding all those messages of condolences from a year and a half ago had taken its toll. I wasn’t in a great place and felt very lonely. Mexico was stunning but I wasn’t in the mood to fully enjoy it and that made me even lower. I was constantly surrounded by kind people and beautiful places and yet I wasn’t seeing or experiencing it the way I should do. I was tired, sad and lonely and all I could think about was how big Mexico was and how much further I still had to go. From the moment I had landed in Mexico everything felt hard and I was missing home. It had been good to get to the city but it had been really tough both mentally and physically and it was going to take time to get myself out of it. Hearing from Chris and Mariann who were now helping me find places to stay and hoping that as I moved further on I would start to at least feel like I was making progress but in the mean time I was missing so much.

Its hard knowing I was missing out some incredible sites but I also knew this was a cycle challenge and I didn’t have time to see everything. With Puebla being much higher then where I was I knew I was in for a tough ride but at least I was going north and knew in itself would feel good and hoped it would only get better.

My first week on the road had been tough and although it was meant to be flat I had managed to climb 2,000 metres and gain a very painful knee in the process. Having had a day off and a wander around some of the most relaxing yet beautiful ruins I just hoped it was enough to get me up the first lot of hills. The one advantage was I knew the scenery would improve, the downside was I had been told of demonstrations and robbers with blockaded roads and with my knee playing up I didn’t fancy hanging around. I had however been told it should be ok and especially being on a bike but then there would be only one way to find out.

Sunday 17th January

Even though I had slept well I woke still with a sore knee and not only a long way to go but also a big climb ahead. Wanting to get going I got up and went for breakfast and while I waited for it to be served I managed to do a little more work while the Internet worked. Once I had finished I went to load my bike but by the time I was ready to leave it had already gone 10.30am which was an hour later then I hoped. I had been joined by a nice Mexican for breakfast and he assured me that the road was safe and that the demonstrations would be over.

Being a cloudy day it was a nice temperature as I navigated the streets and rode out of town. It wasn’t long before I started to climb opening up the views across the valley. It was beautiful but what I didn’t expect was the descent the other side.

Although I had done some climbing I was covering the distances and making good progress. I could feel my knee was sore but as I rode I tried to not push to hard. Seeing a sign for the waterfalls a mile off the road and being something that everyone goes to I had to go in to have a look.

This waterfall was stunning and the sound was incredible

Although I dropped most of the way it wasn’t much and was well worth the detour. It was beautiful with two Columns of water cascading off a shear rock race with a large over hang making it look even more impressive. With a walkway that went underneath the waterfall I followed the track until the water fell infant of me.It was beautiful standing there watching the water fall in front with such force. With the water looking so inviting but needing to push on I got going and continued up the road.

Wanting to cover at least a third of the distance the next sight being Aqua Azul I thought would have to give a miss but seeing road signs that should put me almost exactly in the right place it was perfect. I pushed on over a few small climbs down some nice descents and through many villages. People were friendly and so kept my spirits up. As I neared one village some kids had put up string acoss the road to block it and started to ask for money and although they were only about 8 years old there persistence had obviously come from their parents. Chatting away and trying to keep them talking I went through with little issues but wandered how they would turn out as they got older. It was tempting to give them a couple coins as they were obviously very poor but then it would be the next and the next and then a culture is created. I hated it and if life was as easy as handing out money to fix things I don’t think there would be a problem.

I would often pass these really cool tI rucks and so seeing this one parked up I had to get a picture.

Looking down at the valley I could see the blue river winding its way through

As the evening got closer and the light losing its strength through the clouds I came to the turn off for Agua Azul. Spotting a police car I asked how far it was and they said 3km. Looking at my GPS it looked much further so went to cycle on. With an hour of light left I had to double check the distance. At first it said 11 miles but then noticed it was taking me somewhere else. Finally getting it right and being 5km or just over 3 miles I had to go and see. Being also a good place to wash and hopefully camp I started to drop towards the river. I was a little shocked at how steep it was but if there was a car going out in the morning I could always get a lift back to the junction to save my knee. After about 15 minutes of descending I arrived at the entrance and asked where I could stay. Having a campsite next to the waterfalls I paid the entrance and headed to the sound of the water. As I got close the rich blue colour almost glowed through the trees and knew straight away I had made the right choice. Once I had found a place right on the waters edge I popped on my shorts and went in.

I think Dolly wanted to come for a swim as well

Apart from the water being a little on the chilly side I knew it would do my legs the world of good. The water was just breathtaking with terrace after terrace all made over thousands of years with calcite forming endless terraces.

This was such an amazing spot

This was what Semuc Champey in Guatemala was meant to be like making it all the more better I made the effort to come here. With the tent up and my things inside I headed up to a bar to have a few beers. It felt good to be here and enjoy the amazing beauty but I wasn’t looking forward to the ride out. After chatting to some tourist I found out the busses had been made to go around due to a road block in the next town. Hoping I could get through on my bike I would just have to keep my fingers crossed and keep asking. For now I was in a stunning place and camping next to a beautiful river with its amazing calming sound.

Monday 18th January

Waking up to hear the river was great but to open the tent door and see aqua blue pools inviting me in was amazing. Wanting to get as ready as I could to go I popped up to the shop to get some eggs and a few snacks for later and headed back to put the kettle on. I sat cooking my eggs while I drank my coffee just looking in awe at the river.

The water was just amazing

Once I was finished,washed up and packed up I popped my swimming shorts on and took a dip. Although it was a little chilly it felt amazing. I knew the cool would help my legs and would be a great help for the steep climb out. After being in the water for about half an hour I decided to head up stream to see what else there was and just found more and more beautiful pools until I came to one big wide waterfall.

It was just unreal how beautiful this place was. With lookout points further up river I kept going up finding more and more waterfalls and even more pools. By the time I’d had a good look around it was starting to get late and really wanted to get another 45 miles up the road which would hopefully leave me with a better chance of getting to get to San Cristobal de las Casas. By the time I reached my bike and was making my way out of the small village it was already 11am which I was annoyed about.

Looking back to the valley below which was almost lost in the morning mist

I couldn’t really be to annoyed as I had seen the most incredible place but it did leave me with a hard day ahead. What didn’t help was the extra 3 mile climb out of the valley back to the road which I knew was steep. I looked for one of the pickup taxis that could take me back but with non insight I started the climb and made good progress.

The river remained blue as I crossed higher up

Thought this was an interesting painting on a school wall

After 45 minutes of climbing I neared the top when an empty pickup taxi went past beeping to see if I needed a ride. I thought how flipping typical and continued to climb for another 15 minutes until reached the road. It was a cool cloudy day and the road headed mainly south over a few lower passes. I knew I had about a 1000 metres to climb but also there would be a few smaller climbs in between.

I was making ok progress but it was slow and I was tired. It helped with most of the kids in school as I wasn’t bothered so much but they were kind either way. After starting so late I didn’t have time for dinner so pushed on trying to get to Ocosingo which I hoped was half way.

The landscape was just amazing and kept changing

Still climbing with hundreds of speed bumps known as topes that were so huge I almost had to stop to get over them slowing me down and making it hard to carry my speed up the next short climb was making me tired.

Thought this plastic bottle christmas tree was cool and thought it would look even better if some of the bottles contained a coloured liquid

As the day got later the kids came out of school with far to much energy. Thinking about how I could entertain them to stop them from getting up to mischief I would challenge them to a race. They would run next to me as fast as they could for as long as they could and I would then cheer the winner. With them all now totally out of breath I could ride on with no one chasing and trying to grab stuff off my bike. I stopped a couple times in the small town to have a quick snack and everyone was just so friendly. Spotting on the road where they’d had road blocks or burning tyres was interesting but it was hard to think that such kind people would do such a thing.

Whats left from the tyres that were caught on fire across the road

As the time went on I knew that the town of Ocosingo was where I would end up. Checking the distances to San Cristobal de Las Casas I knew I would be in for a very long and very hard day tomorrow but I was exhausted.

Getting close to the pass

With the town resting on the opposite side of the valley I reached the pass and dropped down towards the town enjoying the freewheeling and made my way into town.

I loved seeing these old cars in all colours

Looking for somewhere to stay I spotted a nice place that looked relaxed and checked in. It was perfect and exactly what I needed. As I was about to head out I got chatting to a Moroccan guy A’ns and French guy Flo who were travelling together. It was great to chat and get some tips for the road ahead and looked into where I would stay in San Cristobal.

Although I was told it was unsafe the people were really friendly and the town was pretty

Needing food I headed out into the streets and grabbed a nice big steak before heading back to get as much rest for my big day tomorrow. I had made it this far without any problem and with my knees behaving I just hoped my luck continued and I made it to the town.

Tuesday 19th January

It was so nice waking up toasty warm, pulling the sheets over me now the temperature was a bit lower being at altitude but today I had some big climbs to do. Although I was on Tarmac I had 60 miles to cover over two passes. Annoyingly buy the time I was loaded it was already much later then I wanted. Having some hot water brought to me so I could have a quick coffee was great and as a result I got to see A’ns the Moroccan guy who I had met yesterday. It was great chatting and managed to find out a little more about the demonstrations that had been happening on this stretch of road. He told me that the Zapatista’s who were mainly farmers had wanted more control over the region known as Chiapas to try and retain much of the Mayan culture which was slowly being lost. As a result the government had cut funding, so the Zapatista had been creating roadblocks as a form of making revenue due to the government action. This left motorist being either robbed or having to pay a fee and the town I was staying in I was told was unsafe due to no police enforcement. For me however the people couldn’t have been friendlier if they tried and I felt very much welcome. Arranging to meet A’ns and Flo his friend in San Cristobal if I could make it I knew I had to put in a big day.

The pretty hostel and the pretty yet quiet streets out of town

I left the hotel late and slowly climbed out of the town feeling hungry. With just a coffee in my stomach and the big climbs ahead I had to do something. Stopping at a small cafe a 100 metres above the town I ordered 2 fried eggs and bread hoping this would see me through. Once finished I set off and climbed above the town. The climb lasted for about 300 metres before levelling off helping me to make better progress.

Climbing high above the town

The cars and trucks were great often waving but the speed bumps were so annoying. They were right in the wrong place stopping me from carrying my speed up the short climb the other side of a descent meaning that it made a nice ride much harder work.

Just another brow before another descent

With little in the way of kids asking for money all I seemed to get was hola or adios with little kids with the biggest smiles waving like mad. It was so lovely and I would make the extra effort to kids who hadn’t seen me and shouted to them. The thought of this road being in anyway dangerous felt a world away. People smiled, waved and even one old guy stopped me and was very interested in what I was doing riding a bike. After covering around 20 miles the first big climb started but I wasn’t going to reach the top for a long time. I would climb 300 metres then it would drop slightly with several very large speed bumps then would climb the other side and do the same.

The scenery made up for any hardship

Once I had reached the first summit at 2,200 metres I then dropped again with climbs in between before the next big one. Although it was only 200 metres above the last one the amount I dropped and climbed in between was making me tired. I stopped a couple times on the way to grab a pack of cookies or a Coke which was enough to keep me going but knew it wasn’t enough or the right thing to eat. As I sat half way up the climb with the mist moving through and the light fading I knew I had to keep going.

As I neared the the top of the last big climb a slow moving Crain went past at just the right speed. Although I only had about a 1000 metres to go it gave me enough of a break to get me over the top. Shortly after the summit the Crain pulled off and I waved thanking the driver who had the biggest grin. Although I had reached the summit the road dropped and climbed to one last peak before it started to drop towards the town. With the light almost gone I put on my front light and started to drop. I was so pleased I had my bright orange pannier covers that Amanda’s sister had got me which helped keep the cars back and at more of a distance. Still having 5 miles to go before the town I knew I had to get my back light out as by this time it was almost dark. Being pretty much all down hill I covered the distance quite fast and reached the town in good time.

Finally and not before time

Needing to stop in town I turned on my phone and looked for the hostel the guys had recommended. By the time I arrived it was already late but I was there and even better the first night was free if you arrive on a bike. Once I was in and unpacked I headed out to get food. I was starving as all I had eaten all day was two eggs, three small packs off biscuits and two cokes. Once I had a shower I headed out for pasta and a couple glasses of wine which seemed to do the job. It was perfect I had been here early enough to get food and I was so pleased I had made it to town. I had ridden 60 miles and climbed over 2,400 metres which I think half of that was climbing speed bumps. I was however shattered and heading back to the hostel and seeing an open fire was just what I needed. I sat with the other guests and enjoyed the rest of the evening until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. tomorrow I had a rest day and couldn’t wait.

Wednesday 20th January

Although it was great I’d had a free night at a hostel i was told long with a few others that a large group were booked in and that there was no room for the next few nights. We had breakfast and I joined Flo and A’ns to find another hostel that they had located. We walk the streets for about 5 minutes and arrived a lovely small hostel where we booked in for a couple nights. With the owners really nice and the place feeling relaxed I had the chance to dry my tent and get my washing done. With this out the way I wondered part of the town and found a great coffee shop.

Every street was beautiful and which ever direction I headed I found something new. Planning on having a day off tomorrow I knew i had time to look around and see the sights. With a bit of work to do, charge batteries along with myself I could relax, eat the local food, drink a glass of wine and see the beautifully coloured buildings. I was so pleased I had got here in the time I did which made me relax a little allowing me to absorb the city making sure I left enough for a good look around tomorrow.

Thursday 21st January

San Cristóbal de las Casas sat at 2,200 metres is a town located in the Central Highlands region of the Mexican state of Chiapas and was founded in 1528 with a population of 186,000 people. It was the capital of the state until 1892, and is still considered the cultural capital of Chiapas.

The municipality is mostly made up of mountainous terrain, but the city sits in a small valley surrounded by hills. The city’s centre maintains its Spanish colonial layout and much of its architecture, with red tile roofs,cobblestone streets and wrought iron balconies often with flowers.

Most of the city’s economy is based on commerce, services and tourism. Tourism is based on the city’s history, culture and indigenous population, although the tourism itself has affected the city, giving it foreign elements. Major landmarks of the city include the Cathedral, the Santo Domingo church with its large open air crafts market and the Casa Na Bolom museum. The municipality has suffered severe deforestation, but it has natural attractions such as caves and rivers. For me though it was the city and is sites I was interested in and couldn’t wait

With breakfast proved here as well I joined a lovely swiss couple in the kitchen for breakfast and sat chatting for a while. Wanting to get some work done before I headed out around the town I sat on my laptop which felt like forever and worked on the blog.

Amazing Chiapas coffee and cool cars

With my eyes going square it was time to hit the streets and take in some sites. My first port of call was the coffee shop I had been to yesterday which I had really liked. While I sat in the sun I spoke to Jules on FaceTime and planning when would be a good time for hime to visit. I was excited at the thought of him coming out and lifted my spirits for the day. As I wondered the city I took in the churches, climbed the steps above the city and stood in the main square to watch a beautiful sunset. It had been a really lovely day I just wished I had someone with me and its special places like this where they become so much more special.

With the sun now down I headed back to the hostel and met up with flo A’ns and flow. With a chocolate museum know one had told be about just around the corner we headed off to have a drink.

Not being close to the amazing hot chocolate in Cuba we chatted a while before making our way back to the hostel.

Enjoying great company with A’ns, Flow and Flo

Not having had any tea, I knocked up a soap and worked on the blog until it was ready to post.It had been amazing seeing the town but like every other place I couldn’t stay long and it was time to leave.

Friday 22nd January

However much it would’ve been great to stay in this beautiful town I had to keep moving on. I had been travelling south for the last few days and west since I started. I tried to ignore the fact I had made no progress north at all in fact I had gone south and this would continue for the following week and still I had a long way west still to go. The scenery made up for it though and I had loved looking around the town drinking coffee and taking in the sites. It had been great to have A’us and Flo as company making my stay in the town much nicer. As I checked out the hotel the worker asked where I was heading and gave me an alternative route that I could take that would be much nicer with little traffic. Putting it in the GPS added another 9 miles but knowing that I had a very long down hill I knew it would be well worth it. I left the city through the narrow streets and started the 5 mile climb up to the top of the first pass. It was easy going with my knee feeling ok. On reaching the top I saw a young lad selling mandarins so stopped to buy a couple kg’s.

Amazing fruit and meeting nice people

As I sat eating one a local guy arrived in a very nice mountain bike so I went over to say hi when his friend arrived. They were so lovely and obviously enjoyed riding their bikes judging by the speed they arrived at. We chatted for a while and it was soon time to head off.

The nice town before the next climb

I dropped into the next valley and was just about to start the next climb when the couple past me waving. I tried to keep within eye shot but with no weight on them at all they were soon gone. After half an hour and almost at the top of the last climb they came the other way waving. It was great to see them and wished them luck as I went on to the reach the top. I started the descent with the road weaving between the ridges and dropped towards a town with a lake in the middle.

I stopped to take a picture when a truck pulled up and the driver got out with a beer in his hand. He asked to look through my telescope but told him it was just a camera. Being drunk at the wheel was more of a worry but didn’t want to get my camera out to show him. I wished him well and dropped past the town and continued to descend. It was cold up high and I had to stop to put my jacket on which surprised me.

The amazing descent with a big drop

Looking across the valley to see where the road went

The wind was also blowing hard making Corning a bit dodgy so took it steady as I descended. I passed many lady’s in a deep red patterned local dress with many carrying large bundles of wood with a strap going up to their forehead. It not only looked heavy but also hard work. These women were tough and you could see it along with a kind smile as they waved. The descent was amazing and just went on and on. Although at times the wind almost brought me to a standstill the down hill kept me moving forward ever dropping. By the time I had reached the valley floor I had 12 miles to go so stopped for lunch at a cafe. I ordered what they had and then waited. After a while 3 tiny tortillas arrived with a bit of onion and beef on it. I ordered another and even less arrived. After missing days without stopping for lunch it seemed typical when I did it almost didn’t seem worth it for what I got. I set off again into the wind but this time it was a little warmer as I was now at 500 metres. I rode on towards town and into a tough headwind that seemed to be getting stronger. The cars and trucks helped but it was slow going.

Sumidero Canyon

Once I had climbed from the valley floor the road levelled off and the ride into the city was nice. I stopped as I got closer to the town and checked where there were hostels and tracked one down. Once settled in I thought I would make up for a bad lunch and buy all the ingredients to make a well balanced meal. I wondered the town to take in a few sites while I was there, sat in a coffee shop in the main square watching couples dancing but I was hungry and needed to eat.

Couples enjoying the live music

Local women selling their wears on the church steps

With the ingredients for a feast in hand I headed back only to find the kitchen was closed. Luckily they offered to cook my food for free so I sat and relaxed before I set off again tomorrow. Today has been a good day one because I had an amazing descend and secondly I passed through my 29,000 mile mark. I knew I still had a long way to go but it felt good to have done it.

Although I had not only been worried about my knee, the climbs, demonstrations and bandits I couldn’t have wished for a more beautiful route. The people had been friendly, the views spectacular and the towns beautiful. It was now time to get my head down and head to Oaxaca to see why so many people say its beautiful.If was anything like what I had seen already I wasn’t going to be disappointed.

The past few days helping Nader and Alisha with their camper had been great fun and yet I still couldn’t get what I had a head of me and what I had left behind out of my head. Looking at the map the next few days were going to be long, flat, boring and I would probably see little progress due to the scale of my map. I felt sad to leave such an amazing family but I had to leave if I was going to finch this and thats what i had to do. Mexico here we come!

Monday 11th January

Today was the day I set off once more on my bike for the last big push. When I say big push it was hard to get my head around just how far I still had to go. Nader came down to make coffee, something that was a very important ritual in his life. I was also enjoying the strong coffee and the kick start in the morning something I defiantly needed today.

I got up bleary eyed and joined him at the breakfast bar before I set about bringing my bike out and to start loading it. I had done this many times and had repacked it but still there were a few things I had forgotten where I had put them. Putting it down to being early I got most of it on and went into see Alisha and their little girl.

Alisha and their beautiful daughter

They had all made me feel so much like part of the family and I would miss their company. I felt like I had known them for years and yet I had spent little more then five days with them. They were so kind asking me what else I needed, wanting to give me stuff as I had transformed their camper van but to me I had enjoyed it.

Dolly’s ready to go

To see the different it had made and how happy they were because of it was worth any gift. As I went to say goodbye they handed me a present which they wanted me to open. Along with a lovely card I got a really nice long sleeve cycle top, a power pack to charge my phone and some food. I was speechless and so so grateful. I knew I needed to leave because I had so far to go but part of me wanted a bit more time with them.

I set off out of town and took the long road west. The map I had for Mexico was a good map but being 3 times smaller scale meant the distances weren’t going to show on the map and I wasn’t going to feel like I was making any progress. As I was leaving the town a car stopped and a guy asked if I wanted a lift. I thanked him and said I always cycle and he then warned me of a road where he was robbed a couple days before. This didn’t help my confidence much being my first day back on the bike but having been told by so many other cyclist how amazing Mexico was I wasn’t about to give up now.

Looking up the road towards the first of many small climbs

I left town and was on the open highway with little traffic and little anything really. The sides of the road looked the same and apart from the odd road sign or military checkpoint there wasn’t much else. As I ticked off the miles pushing on much harder then I should I spotted a cyclist coming the other way. He was an English guy from Manchester and had ridden part of the way from Alaska. It was good to get some tips but also told me he had been robbed by three gun men. All I thought was bloody brilliant that all I need and being the second person in as many hours telling me they had been robbed. I asked where it happened and said it was on the road that runs parallel with the Guatemalan border. Knowing I wasn’t going that way I hoped that was enough and just have to keep my fingers crossed. I went on pushing through the heat and the light headwind and with it I began to fade.

The road went on as far as the eye could see

I was tired by the time I had covered 55 miles and with another 22 to go with what seemed endless short ups and downs I would just have to keep going. With nothing happening at all I found myself counting how long it took a truck to reach me from the brow of a hill then count to see the difference. It wasn’t scientific it just past the time and helped me stay focused. As I neared a town I was starting to get really hungry as I hadn’t had any food since breakfast other then two apples and five mini Toblerone chocolates I knew I needed to eat something.

My beautiful lunch stop on the hard shoulder of a busy highway

I pulled out a tuna pack that Nadar and Alisha gave me and stood eating it before setting off. Getting back on the saddle was hard. My backside hurt from being off the bike for a month and also from tightening the saddle. I kept going, pushing through the soreness but now with sore legs and a rumbling tummy. I finally reached town and found a hotel. With space to camp I opted for the cheaper option and set up my tent under a canopy. It was good to use it again and hopefully I would sleep well. With 94 miles to the next big town I needed an early night but knowing how sore my backside so I wasn’t sure if I could even make it. With a quick look around to find place to get some good food I headed to bed shattered.

Tuesday 12th January

Dolly ready the question is am I?

Day two back on the bike and my backside wasn’t looking forward to it. Thinking it could be the fact I might have tightened the saddle to much I thought I would see how I was and adjust if necessary. Being recommended a place to have breakfast I first packed my things away loaded my bike then went to put my glasses on only to remember I hadn’t taken them out of the tent. As I opened the bag I recalled a click that I thought was my poles moving but no it was my glasses. I opened the tent to find a twisted mass of metal that was once a pair of glasses. Annoyed at myself for making such a stupid mistake I set about bending the metal back into something that now looked like a pair of glasses again. With one lens loose I just hoped it stayed in until I could glue them back to together. I reloaded my bike and headed across the road for breakfast which consisted of soup with a bit of meat and a coffee. It wasn’t the big breakfast I was told but it was enough to get me on my bike. I set off around 10am which was much later then I hoped and hoped the extra time off would make it easier to get back on. I set off and almost immediately I could feel the saddle. I rode for about five miles but had to stop and see if I could make it more comfortable. I loosened off the screw that made the leather tight and gave it a go. I couldn’t believe the difference and so set off with 95 miles to the next big town. It was a tall order to get there in a day but wanted to give it a go. My legs still felt tired and the short climbs and descents continued to make life a little harder. The road never really changed apart from a tiny lake and a Mayan ruin pretty much on the road but I wanted to keep going.

The ruins lined the road with some only a few miles off the highway

With no sign of any town on the map I stopped at 12.30pm and cooked up some baked beans. It was good to stop and have a break but the beans weren’t great and my lunch stop was even worse. By this point I had covered about 45 miles and with 50 left to go I didn’t stop long and dropped a little before the next big climb. As I dropped I suddenly came to a small village with a restaurant, shop and water.

I couldn’t believe I was sat on the side of the road eating horrible beans when I could have been sat in a restaurant eating a good meal and resting. As I tried to push on my left knee was now starting to hurt. I felt strong but my body was tired. I had seen a lake on the map with a name next to it but didn’t want to assume it was a town and thought I could stop there if I got to tired. With 35 miles to go and 2 hours of light left I hoped I would find something. I started to pass through village after village all of which weren’t on the map but wanted to get a bit closer to the next big town. I soon arrived at the lake and sure enough I spotted a restaurant with a nice grassy area next to the lake. Feeling tired and sore I rode my bike in and asked to camp. The owner was nice and said I could camp for free knowing I would eat.

With a swim in the lake being my only way of having a wash I changed into my shorts and dropped in. The water was a perfect temperature and made me feel totally refreshed. With fish on the menu I sat down for dinner before heading for an early night. I was pleased at my progress but not at my body. I knew I would get into it but I also knew I was pushing on to hard and needed to look after myself.

Wednesday 13th January

After taking a while to get to sleep I woke up late on the lake edge. I slowly packed away my things while I made a coffee and went to take some pictures when I spotted an otter swimming in the water.

It was so cool to see him but wasn’t long until he disappeared. There were already fishermen out on the lake with some loud slashing coming form the other side. From what i could make out the fishermen were beating the water to get the fish to swim towards the their nets.

Fisherman on his tiny boat with a guy splashing the water in the background

With my coffee finished I made my way out to the highway and continued west. As soon as I set off my knee started to hurt and knew I had to stop and rest. With 35 miles to the next town I decided to have a short day and hope it got better while I rested. The short hills continued making them sore but I was distracted by a guy called Daniel who cycled along beside me. He offered to buy me a drink so we stopped for half an hour and chatted. He was a great guy and loved cycling. We took couple photos and I wished him luck as he set off for his home.

Daniel was great company and a great guy

I soon reached the town and found a hotel that I could rest. Being a nice day I dried the condensation off the tent and looked at where I was heading the next day.

With the rest of the day to spare and carrying a spare rim that I was going to change, I decided that now was a good time to change it and make my bike a little lighter.On taking the rear wheel apart I couldn’t believe how it had stayed in one piece judging by the dents and crack that had formed all over it.

It took about an hour and a half to build the new one and buy this time I was feeling hungry. I walked into town and found a place that sold chicken. It was horrible and was annoyed I had even picked the place. Although I had got protein from the chicken I knew I could’ve eaten much better and for much cheaper.

With a blog to write I wanted to head back and do some work but what was happening was my rest day had disappeared. By the time I was finished it was now really late I just hoped not moving around to much and stretching had helped.

Thursday 14th January

Having a sore knee yesterday was soul destroying but being able to finish early and rebuild my wheel felt like a good compromise. I had planned on getting up early but like most mornings I was slow in doing anything and my knee still didn’t feel great. Once my bike was loaded and the kettle had boiled I sat and had breakfast while trying to stretch off my legs. From past experience my knee was down to tight muscles rather then a knee problem or that’s what I hoped. I was on the road by 9.30am and headed out of town. My bike felt heavy with the extra water, food and snacks. With a back rim lighter I knew I would get through the water and the litre of yogurt and milk would also go.

It was an overcast day making the riding much better then if the sky was clear and the added bonus was the road was much flatter. With little in the way of climbs I made good progress making me think I could make it to Palenque by tomorrow. With little in the way of views I kept on going until it got close to 1.30pm when I started to look for somewhere to eat. The town on the map was non existent but an hour later I finally reached somewhere I could eat. By this point I had covered just under 50 miles but my knee was killing me. With nowhere to stay and wanting to get within 100 km of Palenque I decided to keep going until I found somewhere. Once I had eaten I stretched again and tried to massage out the pain. I took it easy but every time I did I found myself moments later pushing on and the pain returning.

The sun burnt away the cloud as the road got flatter

With my legs feeling strong it was to easy to push on but it wouldn’t take long for the stabbing pain to come back. As I neared my 65 mile mark I spotted a cyclist coming the other way. His name was Daniel and had ridden down from Chicago. It was great to chat and hear if he had any problems as the last two people I met had put me off. He had told me that he’d had no problems apart from some blockades on the road between Palenque and San Cristobal de las Casas. The local Zapatista had demanded money from drivers but he said it wasn’t quite a robbery.

One of the little houses that lined the road in the small villages

Apart from this he had nothing other then great experiences so I gave him a few tips for the south and pushed on. It was as ever great to chat but with the sun getting ever lower it was time to leave and try and get another 12 miles done to give me the chance of reaching the town tomorrow. We set off in opposite directions with Daniel wishing I had a tail wind which I wasn’t going to argue with and got my head down. With little in the way of wind I soon covered the miles and spotted a junction off to my left. Seeing a small shop I asked if I could camp and with a positive yes pointing to a tiny garage forecourt I brought a Coke and crisps while I chatted to the shop owner. It was a strange little place and so quickly put my tent up with the sun going down then started to fix a broken spoke. As I began the process I was suddenly swarmed by mosquitos. They were everywhere and the longer I stayed still the worse they got. With the wheel soon fixed it was now time to cook but being constantly bitten was becoming a nightmare. It was time for the waterproofs and although I hadn’t used my overshoes for a while or my rain coat for that matter these were perfect for deterring the worst of the invasion. The fact that my stove was a little blocked didn’t help matters either as I tried to line up the tiny needle with the jet the mosquitos would sit on my had and try and bit me. Once cleared I cooked up a small meal of pasta and tuna much to the cats delight as I gave him the wrapper to lick and sat in a swarm eating. It’s times like these I would love to be home say at the table eating a nice meal without having to where my waterproofs whilst being bitten and in pain.

My mosquito infested camp

With my tent now black with insects of all shapes and sizes the next challenge was to get in without taking them all with me. Waving my hat around I got rid of most of them but I then spent the next hour while I sorted out the bomb site inside my tent swatting about twenty mosquitos and goodness knows what else had managed to get in. Pleased I was just within 100 km of the town and in a tent that although was an oven it at least kept the light buggers out so I could sleep.

Friday 15th January

Knowing that my tent was exactly where the garage owner fixes tyres I knew I couldn’t stay to long. Hearing cars pull up outside got me worried but with no owner to fix their tyres and with a weird looking dome tent with a Gringo asleep in his pants they gave up and went on. I got up around sunrise and started to clear my tent when a pickup arrived with a flat tyre. I pulled my things out the way and the owner started to work having only just woken up himself. Pleased I wasn’t still in my pants I finished getting dressed while the driver chatted to the owner, the passenger just sat and stared at me. I was soon packed and sat on an upturned barrel eating my bran flakes in milk and drinking my coffee while being watched. It didn’t bother me as I just thought he was a bit strange and was probably just interested.

Yet another long straight uninteresting highway

I thanked the owner and set off before it got to hot towards the junction where I would head to Palenque. Both my GPS and phone were telling me to go a certain way but it looking at the map it looked loads further. Not knowing why I ignored both and headed along the main highway. Seeing that it was 10 miles shorter I was happy and with a restaurant at the junction where I could get a big plate of pork and salad was even better.

Setting off again I turned my GPS on only to find it was being a pain. It took me 10 minutes to get it going but once on I set off for a weird junction that went though a customs zone.

I passed through several military checkpoints and was soon on the road to the town with about 15 miles to go. From here the road climbed slightly often with a descent and a climb the otherside. By the time I reached the town my knee was killing me and was pleased I would be taking a day off.

Made it at last

The Hostel I had found was nice and although it had rubbish internet I had at least got it on my phone. I looked into tours and decided to visit the ancient Mayan ruins just out of town. Feeling tired and wanting to relax, I wandered into town to have some food before heading back via a bar. Being the only Gringo in there was interesting but the people were friendly and I was relaxed. With a day planned to see the ruins I headed back to get a good nights sleep and rest my knee.

Saturday 16th January

The last few days had been hard and although they had been fairly flat I had still managed to climb 2000 metres over 300 miles with all the ups and downs. My knee was still a little sore and so I took the morning easy, doing stretches and sorting out my washing. Looking at how long I needed for the ruins I headed out around midday and caught a colectivo to the site. Not being that far away I was soon off the bus and heading into the site.

From the moment I reached the large grassy area where the temples and pyramids rose from the ground towards the jungle I relaxed. The place was beautiful and although there was a lot to see I felt like I had all the time in the world.

The Palenque ruins date from ca. 226 BC to ca. AD 799. After its decline, it was absorbed into the jungle of cedar, mahogany, and sapodilla trees, but has since been excavated and restored and is now a famous archaeological site attracting thousands of visitors. It is located near the Usumacinta River in the Mexican state of Chiapas. Palenque is a medium-sized site, much smaller than such huge sites as Tikal, Chichen Itza, or Copán, but it contains some of the finest architecture, sculpture, roof comb and bas-relief carvings that the Mayans produced.

I wondered this site for hours in awe of its beauty and by the fact of when it was built. Walking the large lawns, climbing the steps and enjoying the peace.

The waterfalls were beautiful in amounts the jungle

The trees were just awesome

After a while it was time to head back past a beautiful waterfall and on to catch a colectivo back to the town. Once back and time to spare I continued to work on the blog and sort through my things.

Time to do some work

Hearing there had been problems on the road ahead with barricades, riots and fires, not forgetting to mention bandits and robbers I wanted to do a little research before I rode into the lion pit.

With stories coming back that the riots should be over and was to do with the bus companies I thought was a little made up but having spoken to a few people who had travelled the road they advised I carried a few small notes to hand over and be polite. Still not sure and deciding to sleep on it I decided to have some dinner before heading to bed.

The hostel I was in having got a restaurant I asked my room mate who was from taiwan if she wanted to join me and so we sat and had dinner. It was interesting listening to her tails but with an early start and still not feeling properly rested I turned in for an early night. With mountains ahead of me I should have had another day but I was keen to get going especially if I had to turn around and go the long way.

The past week had not only been tough mentally but also physically. My legs were tight, my knees were sore, I missed home and I felt like I had hardly made any progress. Hoping another good nights sleep might help me recover the overwhelming factor was if the road was safe ahead of me and would I be robbed. I knew the mountain road would be tough but there was no other way around other then a 300 mile detour. Hoping for the best and not wanting to worry about it tonight It was head down and eyes closed another week of the unknown.

Having just spent the last two weeks at home was just amazing but I couldn’t believe where the time had gone. Thinking I had two weeks made me feel I had just enough time but then realising that by the time I had landed and finally caught the train back and the trip back to London I really only had 12. Being home for christmas was just the best time ever, where everyone is home, family are together and everyone wants to eat big roast dinners. There was so much I had wanted to do and see but having the chance to do the things I did and the people I saw was incredible. All I wanted was more time but then don’t we all. I loved every second I was home and would do it all again tomorrow. Hopefully next time I’m home I won’t have to go anywhere.

The thought now was on the task ahead which was massive Mexico and leaving home again and it didn’t make me feel very motivated. I knew I had to do it but after having the most amazing time at home heading back out on my own wasn’t something I was looking forward to. I wanted to make the most of my time but for me I had left a large piece of my heart at home and thats where I knew it belonged.

Monday 4th January

As my last night disappeared and my alarm went off I knew it was time to get up and make my way to the airport.

Katie was amazing, helping me get my stuff sorted and arranged a taxi to take me to where I needed to go. I was soon off after saying my last goodbye and after half an hour arrived at Gatwick airport. With my stuff checked in and my hand luggage already much heavier then I had hoped I made my way through passport control and on to my gate.

For most people heading off to Mexico, the blue waters of the Gulf and the Mayan culture is a dream but for me it was normal and I’d had a taste of home. As the plane took off I saw England disappear out of sight behind a thick blanket of cloud and I was off this time on a direct flight to Cancun and gaining 6 hours.

I sat and watched the screen in front of me as the tiny plane slowly moved across the map of the world away from the place and the people I loved so much. A huge wave of sadness came over me and the task ahead suddenly felt massive and overwhelming.The questions kept going around in my head. Why was I putting myself through this, why was I putting the people I love through this and why didn’t I just stay home.

Now on the flight there was no emergency button to say can you drop me here please, I just had to dig in and get on with it. I arrived after several hours to Cancun airport and like so many times I caught the bus to Cancun and once again checked into the same hostel. Everything and everyone was different apart from a few workers and the beds, All I wanted was to just get going.

Tuesday 5th January

I got up early and sent a message to Nader who had said I could stay only to find he was not going to be there. After a few messages he had arranged to leave me a key so I set off for Chetumal on the first bus. With the bus taking almost 6 hours to get there I sat and watched the day go by as I made my way south west.

Arriving after dark I grabbed a quick snack before catching a taxi to Narder’s home as I knew it would be easier then looking for somewhere once i had arrived. After a little while chatting to his neighbour I was let in to their house and made myself at home.

With no one there I saw it as a good time to start sorting my kit and check I had everything. It took along time to go through my things but I had soon done a lot and just had a service on Dolly to do.

By the time I had finished and had a shower it was gone 2am but I knew a good deep sleep would really help. With Nader and Alisha due home tomorrow It would give me time to finish my things and spend some time with them. It had been a very long and emotional day I just had to get on with it and just hope I enjoyed it.

Wednesday 6th January

Still having jobs that would take a while to do I got up and got to work on my bike and equipment. With a bottom bracket to change along with rear brakes, Crank arms, Chainring, clean chain, adjust cables, Fit new tyres, install aluminium strips I had made and fit them into my panniers to make them stronger and fix my stove it was then time to do some sewing. With my handlebar bag falling apart I stitched the bits that were failing along with my compression sack and checked everything else. Although i’m not an expert on sewing and would never charge anyone for my work what I had done was good enough to last and so then it was time to sort through my emails. The day just flew past and I hadn’t even eaten anything. Knowing I had a tin of baked beans in my panniers I had carried for 350 miles through the whole of Belize it seemed a good time to eat them. I was so hungry but they hit the spot and giving me the energy to continue. With Nader and Alisha not arriving until late I headed to bed and looked forward to seeing them in the morning. It had been a good day of getting stuff done and I was starting to get itchy feet for the road ahead.

Thursday 7th January

As I lay in bed waiting for Nader and Alisha to come down I sat on my bed working on my blog that I was already behind on.

Once they appeared I joined them for breakfast and gave them their presents from Devon which was a dartmoor calendar and clotted cream fudge. They were so pleased with them and want to know what my plans were. After agreeing to work on their camper van they were then trying to work out how to pay but I insisted It would be my pleasure.

Their daughter was so sweet

We made a plan along with cutting list and set out to get tools, timber, nuts, bolts, screws, catches, plywood and chocolate.

The saw bench was hinged on the end to adjust the depth of cut which a a simple and clever way of getting over a problem

We travelled the town picking up supplies some of which were a pain as one shop had different checkouts for different items which needed to be paid for one after another and on our way we stopped to buy a pawn salad that came in a cup. The cup was crammed full of pawns with a sweet vinegar and onion sauce that tasted amazing.

After what felt like a life time of shopping we had pretty much everything we needed and headed back to the house.

Starting to take shape

Wanting to get the job done I set to working stopping for tea and continuing until 10.30pm. I was really getting into it and the more I did the more it came together and the idea of how they wanted it to look. It had been another good day and I had felt good being able to help.

Friday 8th January

With the norm being Narder and Alisha appearing around 9-9.30am I woke after a deep sleep and did some work on the blog. Once we had our morning coffee which is vital to Nader I set to work on their camper to try and get the cupboard done. Although it was slow going cutting tiny pieces citing them, cutting a bit more off until it was right I was making progress and it was looking pretty good. We had breakfast around 11am and spent the day working away on each piece. It felt good doing it and made me miss what I would normally do at home.

Nadar preparing dinner

I worked through the day and the night finishing pretty much all I could with just a few bits left to do by 10.30pm.

One lot lot done, one more to go

It felt good to help and in a way get used to being in Mexico. Although I hadn’t really been out it was good to get used to the heat before I set off back on my bike. With a small cupboard left to make tomorrow should be a fairly easy day but then I’ll just have to see. I spent the rest of the evening chatting with Nardar and finally hit the sack by 12.30am. I was shattered but having done so well it felt good.

Saturday 9th January

Being my last day to work on the camper I wanted to get it all done. Once I had finished fitting the last door to the main cupbourd all I had left then was a low level cupboard that was level with the bed. Being pretty much square it didn’t take long to make the only problem was I had the wrong hinges.

Last one done apart from hinges

I worked on it until 5pm when there was nothing else to do and decided to finish of a few jobs I had to do to my bike.

Not being able to remove the tiny grub screw on the rear hub to change the oil I decided to have ago with some of Nader’s tools and set to work. Luckily the one thing I hadn’t noticed before probably because I had just come off a long flight was there was some dirt stuck in the top of the screw that stopped me getting a good grip on it. With the oil change done and a few other jobs I knew Nader needed doing I finished them off and went for a shower.

Tonight they were taking me out to try a Marquesitas for the first time and are not only famous but are only from this town. Intrigued as to what they were we had some tea and set out for the waterfront. We were soon down on the waterfront and walking through hundreds of people that had come out for the evening.

We stopped along the way to see one of their friends before heading on to reach their favourite stall where I was handed a Marquesita. A Marquesita is a 12” round syrup biscuit that is covered in your desired topping which in my case was Nutella then a layer of cheese is applied and then rolled. At this point Nutella is spread around the top and a small handful of cheese poked in the end.

It tasted amazing and something I had never had before. We walked the waterfront with me covered in cheese and chocolate, taking in the sights,sounds and smells while heading to Nader’s favourite coffee shop.

Although I knew I was getting behind I had really enjoyed being there and helping out. It was so amazing to give back after so many had given us so much and I could see it meant the world to them what I had done to their Van. I had been planning on leaving in the morning but with them not wanting to let me go without us heading to Alisha’s farther restaurant I knew I had to stay. It was also good of me as it would give me a day to double check everything before tacking this massive country.

Sunday 10th January

After a late night chatting with Nader the morning started off slow. I joined Alisha for coffee and sorted out a few things. Once Narder was up we headed out to Alisha’s fathers restaurant to try the local dish called Mixiotes. This is slow cooked lamb in a pepper, garlic and onion sauce with added spices and a centre dish made with lambs stomach that had been fried to their own recipe. The main reason for getting there early was because its so popular that they always run out of food which was exactly what happened to the people who came in after us.

We spent a few hours enjoying this lovely food before setting off to buy some food for tomorrow and some ingredients to make Alisha a birthday cake. Once we had got what we needed we headed home and I set about sorting through my things. Although it still felt like I had far to much stuff I managed to get what I wanted into the bags and then clean up and start to make a cake. It had been a while since I had made one and with my trusty village cookbook I set to work. It felt good making the chocolate cake and even better licking the bowl afterwards.

You may notice that there was a little mouse in the house called Nader who couldn’t resist a tiny bit

The only thing that wasn’t great was they didn’t have two tins the same so looked a little odd. Knowing it probably wouldn’t last long I wasn’t to worried and once finished I set about planning my route west to Chiapas. It was now over month since I had been on a bike and although a little daunted as to what lay ahead I knew I would soon get into the swing of it.

I was now along way behind schedule and knew if I hadn’t traveled through Belize, gone to Cuba and taken such long way round I would be half way through Mexico by now but It was worth every minute. I loved Belize which was a country I was unsure of and yet turned out to be beautiful, It was so amazing to see Yang again and to be joined by Kathy was brilliant but best of all was the chance to go home and see the people I loved to much. To be able to surprise my parents and friends and to see the look on their faces was indescribable. It was a challenge to see as many people as I could fit in but knew there would be some I just wouldn’t have time. All of these people I loved very much and is one of the many reasons why I love home so much. The thing I hadn’t factored in was how home sick I would feel heading back out. Most people dream of coming to Mexico or any of the places I had been to for that matter but for me home was somewhere I loved dearly and thats what I was heading away from. The thought of cycling the whole of Mexico was so daunting for me after riding through such small countries and made home feel a very long way away. For now tomorrow was my first day of many back on on my bike and I just hoped I settled in ok, hoping it went well. There was also another very good reason for returning and knew I could never forget how lucky I was when so many people have lost so much.